By Len Hoskins
HISTORY BEGAN IN NEBRASKA CITY IN THE EARLY 1800'SThere are so many things that new or fairly new residents should and need to know about Nebraska City..FIRST It had the first Newspaper west of the river, its on the OREGON TRAIL, it has a history onto its own...IT has John Browns Cave which helped the black slaves from the south to freedom across the river to Tabor Iowa ..it was one of the few places slaves could rely on headed to freedom.
......................THE CiTY ALSO HAD:............ ONE of the first fire departments...ONE OF the first hospitals;... ONE of the first power plants;... ONE of the FIRST SCHOOLS west of the Missouri River;...... the FIRST NEWSPAPER west of the the river;... ONE of the earliest FREIGHT LINES to the west ...ARBOR LODGE ..the home of J.Sterling Morton and still one of the finest tourist places in the state and NEBRASKA SCHOOL FOR VISUALLY HANDICAPPED..now also pat of the school for the HEARING IMPAIRED...ONE of the oldest parks around but not widely used..RIVERVIEW PARK, beautful area.close to Missouri river...